His Heart for Granted
by Kura Koi
Summary: After saving a group of Rohirrim from the hands of Orcs, one seems to have caught the attention of the Elf prince. A mortal who is stubborn towards the elves yet extremely faithful to a child that is not theirs, whose origins is not defined and their behaviour nothing like that of mortals he had met before. Who is this mortal? And why do they insist that they do not belong here?


**We have all heard of the _oh_ so tragic life of a Mary Sue in the evil and foreboding modern world. Abusive parents, jealous friends, schoolmate bullies, dark pasts, and/or unfaithful partners. But of course, there is that one question that sits at the back of our minds once the Sue has entered the realm of fantasy, what happened to the people they had left in this world? You cannot simply talk to a person one day and completely be oblivious to their sudden disappearance or even existence the next! So voilà this plot was born. After reading LOTR Mary Sue stories for a mind numbing four hours I have decided to create a shocking plot twist to the Mary Sue's cliché plotline that we all have grown to _'love'_, so please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings does not belong to me nor do the cannon characters, only my OCs. Please enjoy!**

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**oo**

_And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad_

_The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had_

_I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take_

_When people run in circles its a very, very_

_Mad world, mad world_

_- "Mad world" -Gary Jule_

**oo**

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~His heart of Gold~

Act i

There were whispers of a woe-some tragedy that the wind carried pass proud standing trees and tall swaying grass. A company of Wood-elves whom were in the midst of traveling back to the Woodlands from Imladris had caught wind of the event as they circled east of the Mirkwood forest. At times of rest, the elves could hear the slightest of noise from the rough movements of the dark lord's servants, but the distance between them had been too large for the elves concern. But travelling further up besides the forest and nearing the East Bight the elves begun to notice the strange marking in the dirt, and further towards the forest they discover a display of bones and corpses. By then the elves could tell of what dark things the Orcs were up to, for not only did they leave a trail of stench and death for the elves, but to the wake of the clunking armour of the Orcs were the clattering chains of prisoners.

Though it was not the business of the elves it was decided by the leader of the company, the prince of the Woodland Realm himself; Prince Legolas, that they would aid the captured men. At first the prince opted not to come to fight the Orcs for the dark ones neared the safe proximity of their territory and though the elves were armed they were not armed enough to be at battle with all the creatures of the mountain, if the Orcs were to call for aid. But the prince was swayed into changing his mind as he came across an item of innocence. Torn, filthy, and covered in dried up blood was a doll belonging to a prisoner, it was fact enough to the prince that the Orcs held a child in capture and he could not let such innocence be tainted by the dark ones.

They sped with the wind by the sides of their strong stallions towards the Eastern borders of the Mirkwood forest. They must make haste for the Orcs themselves though bare foot and trailed with prisoners had already entered the dark forest two night falls ahead...

**L~O~T~R**

"Dina." The leading elf whispered as his silent steps slowed,  
_[Quiet]_

Echoing his movements the company of elves behind him slowed, each glancing at their companions to their sides and awaiting commands of the fair-haired prince. But within they knew that they had closed in to the Orcs, and it would not be long till the order of attack was called, though there was no fear apparent on their fair faces, for they felt no fear. They were within a forest, one they called home, perhaps, so it was of the Eastern borders of Mirkwood where dark creatures had called it theirs but the forest was in their aid.

The forest swayed with the slight breeze and whispers of the wind, bringing comfort to the elves whose hands unconsciously, itched towards their weapons. Some reach and grazing the arch of their bows, others held a light grip on the hilt of their swords.

"The Orcs are there, just pass the clearing. We must move with haste and not startle them or they will call for aid," Legolas had whispered out once more from the front, he turned his eyes towards his second in command, "be on guard and prepare to attack."

The dark-haired elf nodded in understanding, and he without so much of a word but with a gesture of his hand brought half of the company to follow him away from the path and the prince led the rest. Legolas reached over his shoulder and silently took out an arrow from its hold, the elves that followed mimicked his actions and readied their weapons.

The orcs were meters away-that they were sure of- for the dark-skinned beast were loud. They snorted, grunted, and growled from the clearing. The whimpers and rasp breathes of prisoners were apparent as well to the keen hearing of the elves. There were frightened neighs from the surviving horses that had come with the mortal traders whom now backed away from the advancing orcs. The elves themselves were quiet, light on their nimble feet and swiftly passed trees and bushes. It wasn't till they were preparing their bows to shoot did the prince notice that there was something wrong...

Indeed the Orcs were loud, but not loud in their normal taunting grunts towards the prisoners or their uneven snorting breaths but loud in a frenzy. Four Orcs surrounded the captured men and their horses into the middle of the clearing, threatening to stab them with the rusty butcher like swords they had tightly gripped in their dry hands. But with the exception of the men and the four Orcs they were alone, there were no other orcs within the clearing though evident that there indeed were a dozen more with them not moments before.

Where were the rest?

"Something is wrong." Legolas murmured to himself

"Tira ten' rashwe!" An elf to the left of the prince yelled,  
_[Look out!]_

Legolas turned swiftly just in time to see another party of Orcs appear from the high bushes, and their eyes met. The Orcs did not falter and ran to attack with mighty battle cries. _How had they not notice them? Was this a trap?_ But with no time to think of how the Orcs knew of their presence Legolas quickly readied his bow, pulled back and let the arrow cut into the chest of an advancing Orc.

Once the first arrow was shot a herd of arrows followed suit, nearly blocking the rays of sunlight that the trees themselves hadn't blocked already. The orcs almost all instantly fell to the ground, some managed to crawl forwards more but was permanently stopped with another arrow shot towards them. The orcs that deemed themselves lucky from surviving the rain of arrows pressed forward in what seemed to be a never ending amounts. Some of the elves switched their weapons in favouring their swords and knives, Legolas was one of them as he pulled out a long white elven knife from his belt and readied for an attack.

He moved through the swarming Orcs with agility and ease, running his knife down the chest of one and promptly pulling the knife out and sticking it into the stomach of another.

The prince spied a group of orcs retreating from the grounds of action, the tall one growling at the three and spoke in the dark speech as he turned his arm to point towards the woods. The three orcs nodded and rushed pass the trees as the rest of the orcs turned to the clearing and rushed to the men to grab on their chains and lead them off. Quickly Legolas turned to call out to the elf closest to him,

"Calanon," The elf turned to the sound of his voice, letting the string of his bow ease, "The orcs are taking the men away!"

Calanon, the dark-haired elf nodded. He left the prince's side and gathered the elves to follow him to the clearing as the orc's numbers began to lessen and the men started to rattle their chains. In an instant Legolas leapt and sped through the forest floor, ears focused on finding clanking metal and eyes scanning for trails in the mud or breaks in the leaves.

He ran, distancing himself from the battlegrounds but neared the dangers of the Mirkwood mountain. A cry cut through the forest with a ear piercing tone- a child! Had the orcs reached her before he could? The elf willed himself to run faster as his grip around his long knife tightened in earnest.

"No! Back off! Leave her alone!" Another voice rang,

He was close! With grace-like reflexes Legolas kicked himself forward against an old tree trunk and launched from above the bushes. A boy laid curled on the ground as an orc stood above him, axe high and ready to land a lethal blow upon his neck. But Legolas was fast. Before they spotted his presence his knife was already embedded in one of the three orcs, he jerked his arms to the right slicing through the orc's stomach and into the others thigh. The orc screamed in pain as the other dropped dead, Legolas kicked the orc on the knee and broke it backwards and snapped his neck as he fell.

The last orc whom stood above the boy had advance towards him and swung at his face to only miss him by a hair. The prince twisted and spun to store enough energy into one final swing of his weapon and sliced the dark creatures neck clean through.

And then the forest was silent.

Legolas stood to his full height and sheathed his knife with not so much of a ragged breath before he turned on his heels. The boy from before now stood meters away from him but not far enough for him to catch if by chance he decided to run from him. He was young, his face made this apparent; rosy cheeks, youthful black hair, and uncanny bright blue eyes, the boy if Legolas could make an assumption be twenty at most. The Elf prince was though surprised of the boy's porcelain like skin. One that only elves were most known for, and yet this mortal boy looked as if he had never been out in the sun. He was dressed warmly, but the clothes he wore were something the Elf prince has never seen before. His coat was of a rich grey color, the wool courser than any wool the elf had seen. His trousers were dark also and were rigid than loose, and boots of fine leather that could only be compared to that of elvish craft.

The boy stood with a weak grasp upon an orc axe that he had picked up from next to the dead creature, its blade pointed towards the elf prince in a low and awkward angle. Legolas scrunched his brows in curious confusion; he did not anticipate the boy to be afraid of him much less defend himself from him.

Slowly, as if not to frighten the mortal he lifted his hands up to show he meant no harm and yet the boy's body stiffened as his grip on the axe handled tightened,

"Amin hiraetha," Legolas spoke this in elvish for he knew some men were calmed to the sound of his native tongue, "I mean you no harm, do not be frightened"  
_[I'm sorry]_

But when he had taken a step forward the boy merely strained to point the blade higher. _It was fear_; Legolas could see the fear within the boy's eyes, his eyes watched him as if he was a predator and the boy himself the prey.

"Don't move! Stay back! I-I have an a-axe... don't make me use it!"

The prince's ears pinned up; the boy spoke common Westron yet the way he spoke it was one that the elf had never heard of before; it was sharper with an uncommon accent.

"I mean you no harm child," testing how near he could get to the boy Legolas took another step forward, "I have come to your aid."

"Bull!" the boy spat as if insulting him and stepped back, "I d-don't know what you are or what you want just get away from us and leave us alone!"

Legolas stilled for a moment, "...You are not alone?"

Bright blue eyes widened at the slip of information, but within mere seconds they squinted with forced anger. His legs parted in a weak battle stance, shoulders cringing at the weight of the axe as he lifted it higher...the boy was preparing to attack?

_No, he was preparing to defend._

Unconsciously, the elf's hand moved closer to wrap an eased grip around the hilt of his knife. Though he did not plan to attack the young man, he did plan to defend himself if the boy were to attack him. This unconscious gesture was a mistake to make and not long before his fingers clasped around the hilt did the boy's eyes widened... and attacked.

Elvish curses left the prince's lips as he realized his mistake and quickly stepped to the side as the boy swung the axe wildly to where he once stood. The axe was heavy and the boy's grasp awkward, his upper body fell to the ground at the lead of the axe with ragged breathes. Legolas drew his long knife slowly, but to the sound of its unsheathing the boy's arms lifted the axe dangerously above his own head and with a loud battle cry swung again at Legolas's direction. This time Legolas moved to counter, he moved his knife up to block the axe's blow before he pushed up on it to disarm the boy of the axe. Wide-eyed the boy stared in fear as in mere seconds the elf kneed his chest to knock him down on the ground and within another second the elf prince had positioned his knife at his throat.

"Yield." Legolas's voice deepened,

Suddenly there was movement behind the bushes from where the boy had once stood in front of. Legolas's eyes snapped towards the rustling in time to see a young girl stumble out of them. She fell on her palms but was quickly back on her feet as she cried loudly and wobbled towards them.

"No! No! P-please master elf do not harm him!" Her voice was shaking and high as she pleaded to him.

"Mae! Stop and get out of here!" The boy beneath him yelled angrily and began to squirm,

The girl barely looked nine summers old hitched her breath in her throat and stopped a mere two feet away from them. She wrapped her small arms around her fragile-looking frame shrinking at Legolas's gaze but wide green eyes stared bravely into the eyes of the elf.

"Please master elf! He did not mean to attack you, h-he was merely trying to protect me. But he is a fool! He does not know! He does not know who are enemies and who are trying to help" she explained as she tried to stop the tears from her eyes.

Seeing the young girl in distress Legolas slowly eased the pressure he had on the boy's throat, his eyes looked at the girl with understanding before he sheathed his long knife and stepped back from the boy. He understood know why the boy had attacked, even if he was not gifted to wield an axe he was prepared to battle him just to protect this young girl. He turned his eyes the boy who still laid still on the forest ground, he placed his right hand against his chest and gave the boy a small tilt of his head.

"My apologies." Legolas said softly,

The boy looked up at Legolas hesitantly,

"It's fine..." the boy answered awkwardly and slow,

He propelled himself up by his arms and groaned as the pains to the prior attack on his chest returned to only be forced back down by the weight of the child who jumped to hug him tightly. Initially the boy's eyes lingered in slight shock but recovered quickly and wrapped an arm around the child chuckling quietly to himself as he pushed himself upright. The girl let out a sniffle before pulling away from the hug and helping the boy up to his feet. Once he was, she buried her side upon his and wrapped her arms around his waist. She looked up at Legolas with a widening smile before her head gestured a bow of gratitude.

"Thank you for coming to our aid." she said warmly

_"Lle creoso,"_ Legolas bowed his head in return, "it is my duty."

"There are others," the boy interrupted, his head hung low and his eyes wandered but the statement was directed to the prince, "there was a lot of us. We escaped without them..."

"Do not worry they are safe," Legolas cut in, "My company have been tracking the orcs that have held you captive. And by the stillness of the forest I believe the battle has been won."

Rejoice had filled the young child's eyes and heart, she clung to the older boy but fear no longer there to unease her. Legolas shifted his eyes to look at the boy whom too looked eased by the news yet a small frown etched its way across his lips.

"Come now, the day grows short and it will be best to rejoin your kin. I will lead the way." Legolas said

He turned on his heels to begin the trek but was stopped when he felt a small tug on his cloak, he turned expecting that his cloak had caught a low hanging branch only to look upon the child staring wide-eyed at him. Her fingers immediately released his green cloak as her face flustered.

"Will the walk be long?" a sudden softness replaced her once strong voice,

"It would be a trek to return to your kin but the path is not that far," he knelt down to her height, "what ails you...?"

"Maenhen." timidly she told him her name,

"Maenhen." Legolas repeated with a smile.

"I do not think I can walk very far master elf. I've twisted my ankle, it hurts when I put my weight upon it." she answered with a lowered gaze.

"That is not a problem, I would gladly carry yo-"

"No!" The boy's hands moved to firmly grasp the girls shoulders as if fearing to lose her. Legolas looked up at the boy and their eyes met briefly before the boy turned his eyes elsewhere. It was quite obvious that the boy did not trust him yet, and so Legolas stood back on his feet to seem less intrusive.

"It'll be...rude... I can carry her myself," he continued then turned to look at Maenhen, "you should have asked me."

Maenhen looked up at the boy with bright green eyes, her brows lifting, frightened at the sudden interruption of the boy and of the way he spoke so harsh and quick.

"I did not wish to offend you Nathan... but you were hurt as well. I do not want to burden you." She muttered quietly as if being scolded, she hung her head low and bit her lips.

The boy; Nathan, seeing that he had frightened the girl lowered himself to her height and placed both hands on either arms of the child comfortingly, Maenhen timidly look up at the boy whom offered her an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry Mae, I didn't mean to scare you." he said softly,

He gave her a small smile and once she smiled back he turned offering his back to her, "I'm fine Mae, now hop on before I change my mind."

Maenhen glanced up at the golden haired elf as if seeking for guidance on what to do and with the short gesture Legolas made with his head the little girl mounted the small back of the boy. Legolas noticed the slight pain in the boy's eyes as he placed his arms underneath the girls legs, and the boy was quick to notice the lingering stare from the elf, he steeled his face and slowly got back on his feet. He inhaled awkwardly before turning his hardened eyes at the elf once more,

"Lead the way master _elf..._"

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**This was meant to go one a few more paragraphs but I didn't like the way I've worded it so I've cut it down to this scene!**

**Now, to clear a few thing out... for those who have come to read this for romance, I am sorry to disappoint but this is no Legomace. The only importance of the hunky elf prince is to be the 'eyes' of the story. ****Now, originally this fict was only meant to be three chapters long but over the span of five years (procrastination at its best) I've decided to make it seven chapters long, at max ten. So, if the pace of the chapter seems a little too fast for you, I apologize!**

**Secondly, I am basing Legolas off his Book personality... though I'm not sure I've portrayed it right, I honestly dislike the aloof version of the prince! Since, this is somewhat Legolas-centric it is only justifiable that would be youthful so that he has more to say. I mean it would be boring for a narrator to have nothing to say! If you go to my profile page you will find the sites I have used to get an idea to how to portray Legolas (as well as other characters) I have yet to start the book Trilogy! (procrastination once more)**


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